Ha! I used to work in a dental office, and we got this all the time. "I'm having a horrific toothache, I need to see doc!" How long has this been going on? "For 3 weeks, but I'm leaving town tonight!" Uhm...or doc is nice enough to say, "Can you come in today on my lunchbreak?"

Yes, the scheduled 'emergency'. I swear they do it just to yank our chain. We'll have people bugging us ALL day to get their refill authorized cause they ABSOLUTELY need it... we exhaust every possible avenue to make it happen, finally call them back at the end of the day when we still haven't gotten the OK on it, and they say "Aw never mind, I'll just pick it up next week."

Migraine, schmygraine...please. If she can drive, take the smell of the nail place, etc...I'd tell her to take some Liquid Advil and save yourself the appointment (and the pain of meeting her!). Oy, people!

I know when I have a migraine, I aint going anywhere except laying in my bed with a blanket over the windows to make it dark and ice to my forhead and a bucket next to me incase I need to vomit is as far as I'm going, forget having my hair and nails done. And if I'm lucky enough to see my doctor, my hair probably wouldnt even be brushed cause it hurts too much. This lady should consider herself lucky to have a doctor like you, my neurologist is never able to see me, I have to scheadule my appointments 4-6 months out, and forget emergencies. I'm just thankful that since starting Cymbalta my migraines have made a turn for the better, now when I get them one ibprofen takes care of it if I cantch it early on, if not then a Imitrex does the trick.

I am a veterinarian. I once had a client call and tell our receptionist she wouldn't be able to bring her dog in for its scheduled appointment (which was for "check drinking and peeing a lot" according to the notes field in the appointment book) because her "salon called with an opening" and she "just had to take it." Priorities, people. Priorities. I wish the boss would let me charge a fee for people who don't cancel with 24 hours notice. I'd of course HAPPILY waive it for people who have actual real excuses or for good clients who just screwed up one time. But the repeat offenders tick me off!

OMG!!!!!!! I have heard this shit before on another blog where some one works with cancer patients who put of their appts. CRAZY!!! I am glad you get to enjoy stupid people too!! You just have no idea how stupid people are until you start working with the public!!! I see it all as a teacher too!! And the worst is when.... they think they are smarter than you!!

Nothing wrong with that she was trying to self-medicate with a little spa therapy ;) The only thing I would have prescribed (not being an M.D.) would have been a massage to go along with the hair and nails.

I know this nice, sharp as a tack, 80 yo lady who normally starts her day at 6am. One day, about one month ago, all she can remember when she gets out of bed at 1pm is that she got up at 6am, went back to bed, got up at 9am, went back to bed,and arose at 1pm to find (her) blood all over her kitchen, bathroom and bedroom; finds the first aid kit out and open on her bathroom sink; and she has a nice cut on the side of her head just above the eye - but she has absolutely no memory of what transpired between 6am and 1pm. She goes to her doctor who instructs her, "emergency room, now." So what does she do? She goes and has her hair done before going to the ER.

Welcome to my whining!

This blog is entirely for entertainment purposes. All posts about patients may be fictional, or be my experience, or were submitted by a reader, or any combination of the above. Factual statements may or may not be accurate.

Singing Foo!

Have Dr. Grumpy delivered automatically to your Kindle for only 99 cents a month! Sign up here!

Dr. Grumpy is for hire! Need an article written (humorous, medical, or otherwise) or want to commission a genuine Grumpy piece for your newspaper/magazine/toilet paper roll? Contact me to discuss subjects. You can reach me at the email address below.

Note: I do not answer medical questions. If you are having a medical issue, see your own doctor. For all you know I'm really a Mongolian yak herder and have no medical training at all except in issues regarding the care and feeding of Mongolian yaks.